Greek Mezze Plate

It’s still BBQ weather, and the BBQ is also helpful when you stove is out of service if you are renovating, painting or the like. So I thought we’d go Greek with a range of tasty meze or mezethes.

Serves 6 as an entrée

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Lemon basting mixture

1 small lemon, juiced

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 large red chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped

½ bunch oregano, roughly chopped or

1 tablespoon dried Rigani (dried Greek Oregano)

¼ cup (60ml) olive oil

Salt and pepper

Melanzane

1 large (400g) eggplant

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

200g thick greek yoghurt

Salt and pepper

To serve

3 large pitta bread, quartered

2 large zucchini, sliced lengthways

12 (500g) large green prawns, peeled with tail left on

180g Haloumi, sliced thickly

1.           Pre-heat the barbeque. Soak bamboo skewers in water.

2.           Cut eggplant in half lengthways and score the flesh into diamonds. Brush with olive oil and place cut side down on barbeque.  Cook for 10 minutes or until softened and the flesh smells smoky.  Cool. Scoop out flesh and blend with garlic and yoghurt.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside.

3.           Meanwhile combine lemon basting mixture ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

4.           Barbeque sliced zucchini, green prawns and Haloumi over medium heat brushing frequently with lemon basting mixture for 1-2 minutes each side or until golden and cooked through.

5.           Turn quartered flat bread briefly on the griddle side. Remove and keep warm

6.           Serve barbequed zucchini, prawns and Haloumi on a platter with a bowl melanzane and warm flat bread.

Lyndey's note:  If you can get the dried Greek Oregano called Rigini, it will add a very authentic flavour to this dish. Alternatively, use the other half of the bunch of fresh oregano to dip in the oil to baste.